The now infamous Google memo and recent sexual harassment charges against Uber Technologies Inc. and Tesla Motors Inc. are a few gender-related incidents in Silicon Valley to make headlines this year. What is a female techie to do in such a divisive environment? Keep calm and code on, according to Jigyasa Grover (pictured), Facebook scholarship recipient and Red Hat Women in Open Source Academic Award Winner 2017.

“Just do your best, and don’t let the negativity affect you,” Grover advised.

Facebook awarded its Grace Hopper Scholarship to Grover, a recent Delhi Technological University graduate, and 49 other young women in tech. Grover and other awardees from around the world came to Orlando, Florida, this month to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.

“It’s just like meeting your sister, because you can see how they feel,” she said of her experience at the conference. Grover spoke about tech’s gender issues with Rebecca Knight (@knightrm), co-host of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio.

Boot up, tune out

TheCUBE previously spoke with Grover in May about her contributions to open-source community Pharaoh Tools. The newly graduated Grover is seeking the best career avenue for her computer science skills.

“I’m still finding my calling, and I’m exploring all kinds of work […] be it research, be it open-source contributions […],” she said.

Is Grover anxious about entering a field where allegations of sexism seem to constantly be making the news of late?

“I’m just going to stay strong, work lots in open source and work with companies,” she said. Keeping her nose to the grindstone and fingers on the keyboard may be the best that she can do for herself and for women in tech as a group, she explained.

No one can single-handedly change the world — that’s true,” she said. However, by shutting out negative voices and doing their best work possible, Grover believes she and other women can contribute to technology and to society at large.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.

Photo: SiliconANGLE